Traffic circulator



7 Aug. 30, 1960 I COMPTON 2,950,860

TRAFFIC CIRCULATOR Filed Oct. 11, 1957 g INVENTOR.

aired States 1 1 Claim. (Cl. 232-1) The present invention relates to atraffic circulator and more particularly to a device to assist in thecontrol of parked vehicles.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a vehicleidentification device for use in conjunction with parking spaces andvehicles parking therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide a traffic circulator ofthe type described above which is operated by an attendant and which islocked against unauthorized operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a traific circulator ofthe class described above which is inexpensive to manufacture, simple touse and which is completely effective in obtaining an efficientcirculation of traffic.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the followingspecification when considered in the light of the attached drawings, inwhich:

Figure l is a perspective view of the traflic circulator constructed inaccordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the hinged side of the circulatorillustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section taken along the line 33 of Figure 2looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross section taken alongthe line 44 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like referencecharacters indicate like parts throughout the several figures, thereference number indicates generally a traffic circulator constructed inaccordance with the invention. The circulator 10 is secured by anysuitable means (not shown) to an upright post 11 which is positionedadjacent to a parking space in a parking lot or along the street.

The parking circulator It} comprises a rear plate 12 12 having aforwardly extending peripheral flange 13 integrally formed thereon. Aforward edge of the flange 13 is rabbeted at 14 for reasons to beassigned. A front wall 15 is positioned forwardly of the rear wall 12 inspaced parallel relation thereto and is provided with a rearwardlyextending peripheral flange 16 having the rear edge thereof rabbeted at17 to cooperate with the rabbeted edge 14 of the flange 13 as can beseen in Figures 3 and 4. The flange 16 and the flange 13 are connectedby a hinge generally indicated at 18 to permit the wall 15 to be swungdownwardly and forwardly away from the wall 12 when necessary to emptythe circulator 10.

A lock barrel 19 is secured to the forward wall 15 and has a latch bar20 secured thereto for cooperative engagement with a keeper 21 formed onthe flange 13 of the rear wall 12 as can be seen in Figure 3. Theforward wall 15 is provided with a thickened portion 22 having a coingroove 23 formed therein and terminating in a discharge opening 24 atthe lower end thereof. An outwardly bulged portion 25 is formed on2,950,860 Patented Aug. 30, 1960 the front Wall 15 at the upper end ofthe coin slot 23 and has a coin inlet opening 26 formed at the lower endthereof to permit a coin 27 to be inserted in the coin slot 23.

The rear wall 12 of the circulator 10 has a block 28 formed thereinextending forwardly to form a rear Wall for the coin slot 23.

A second lock barrel 29 is secured to the forward wall 15 and has an arm30 fixed thereto for pivotal movement with respect to the front wall 15.The arm 30 has a pin 31 fixed to the outer end thereof and extendingperpendicularly forward of the arm 30 and engageable in the coin slot 23to support a coin 27 above the bottom thereof. A slot 32 extendinggenerally horizontally through the coin slot 23 permits the pin 31 to beswung into the coin slot 23 on the arm 30. The block 28 on the rear wall12 is cut out at 33 to permit the operation of the arm 30.

In the use and operation of the invention illustrated, a parker parkshis automobile in an empty parking space adjacent the parking circulator10. He leaves the vehicle and returns to it upon completion of hiserrand. An attendant making his rounds at spaced time intervals operatesthe lock barrel 29 withdrawing arm 30 and pin 31 from the coin slot 23to permit a coin 27 to drop therefrom in the event that a coin is in theslot 23'. The attendant finding that there is no coin in the slot 23uses a marking pencil and marks the last two tag numbers of the parkedvehicle on a coin check 27 and drops the check through the slot 26 intothe coin slot 23. On his next round, upon the completion of the allowedparking time, the attendant again operates the lock barrel 29 droppingthe check 27 out of the slot 23 into his hand. He then notes the lasttwo tag numbers of the vehicle to see if the vehicle is the same vehiclepreviously checked into the parking space. If the vehicle is the samevehicle then an overtime parking ticket is written and placed on thevehicle in the usual man- If it is a different vehicle, then the numberson the check are erased and the tag numbers of the different vehicle arewritten thereon and the check is returned to the coin slot 23 where itremains until the next round by the attendant. The parking ticket issuedby the attendant is in the form of an envelope and the trafliccirculator 10 is provided with a slot 34 to receive the envelope ticketwith the fine placed therein.

Having thus described the preferred embodiments of the inventions, itshould be understood that numerous structural modifications andadaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope of theappended claim.

What is claimed is:

A traffic circulator comprising a rear plate having a forwardlyextending peripheral flange integral therewith, a front wall having arearwardly extending peripheral flange integral therewith, said frontwall being positioned forwardly of and in spaced parallel relation tosaid rear wall, a hinge connecting the lower end portions of saidforwardly and rearwardly extending flanges, a first rotatable lockbarrel secured to said forward wall, a latch bar secured to said barrel,a keeper for said latch bar formed on said forwardly extending flange ofsaid rear wall, a thickened portion formed on said front wall and havinga coin groove therein, said thickened portion terminating in a coinoutlet at its lower end, an outwardly bulged portion formed on saidfront wall at the upper end of said coin groove having a coin inlet atits lower end to permit insertion of a coin into said coin groove, ablock formed on said rear wall extending forwardly therefrom to form arear wall for said coin groove, a second rotatable lock barrel securedto said forward wall, an arm fixed to said second lock a 3 4 1 barrelfor rotation therewith relative to said front wall, References Cited inthe file of this patent a pin fixed to said arm in perpendicularrelation thereto UNITED STATES PATENTS and engageable in said coingroove, said thickened porh J 1 8 tion having agenerally horizontal slottherein interseot- 1 gg i off g 32 r b v r y y 1 mg sald c0111 groovewhereby sald pm y 6 swung 0 2,593,985 Compton Apr 22 1952 into saideoingroove, said block having a cut away portion for the reception ofsaid arm.

